Performances & D1 Sports

Looking for something to do when you’re done studying? We’ll keep you busy with plenty of entertainment options here on campus—and if you do want to hit the town, the capital city of Des Moines has tons to offer, too.

Student music and theater performances abound at Drake, with fine arts opportunities available nearly every day of the week. Ponder over modern art, design, and photography in the Anderson Gallery, which features both student work and guest exhibitions. Wrap your mind around upbeat, improvised melodies by the acclaimed Jazz I Ensemble in the new Patty and Fred Turner Jazz Center. Experience lush strings and powerful brass during a Drake Symphony or Concert Band performance in the Performing Arts Hall at our Harmon Fine Arts Center. Or immerse yourself in a theater production, with performances ranging from student-directed dramas to major mainstage musicals

If you’re in the mood for fist-pumping and face paint, don your Drake blue and cheer for your own Drake Bulldogs. We compete in Division I, the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the NCAA, so it’s guaranteed to be an intense match-up every time the Bulldogs hit the court or take the field. The roar of the crowd in the Knapp Center, home of Drake men’s and women’s basketball, is rivaled only by the thunder of the marching band in Drake Stadium, where our football team hits the gridiron.

International opportunities abound for students who love to explore other cultures. The Principal Financial Group Center for Global Citizenship hosts dozens of guest speakers and special events every year on a wide variety of current global topics. Myriad student-run cultural organizations hold events that include authentic song and dance, a diverse array of international cuisine, thought-provoking guest speakers and more. The Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lectureship brings speakers of international stature—including presidents, media icons, and best-selling authors—to speak at the Knapp Center.

Add in a steady stream of comedians, musicians, and other entertainers hosted throughout the year by the Student Activities Board, and there’s never a shortage of fun (and intellectually stimulating) things to do at Drake.